Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care at South Sydney College is a one-year qualification for people who want to work with children from birth to five years in Australian early learning settings. You study how children grow and learn, how to plan and run a play-based curriculum, how to keep children safe, and how to work with families and communities. The course combines classroom learning with practical placement in a registered early childhood service, so you spend real time in rooms with real children, not just reading about them.

How the course is structured

Australian diplomas sit at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. This one is delivered over one year, and South Sydney College runs it across semesters or trimesters depending on intake. You complete units of study, each carrying credit points, and you need to pass all required units to graduate. Assessment is a mix of written tasks, projects, observations and workplace evidence. Because this is a vocational qualification, a substantial part of your time is spent on professional placement in an early childhood service, where a supervisor signs off on your practical skills.

What you actually learn

You cover child development, curriculum planning, health and safety, nutrition, legal and ethical requirements, and working with diverse families. You learn to observe children and use those observations to plan experiences that match where each child is at. You practise setting up indoor and outdoor environments, guiding behaviour positively, and responding to children who need extra support. You also learn the compliance side of the job: regulations, national quality standards, and the paperwork that keeps a service running properly. By the end, you should be able to walk into a room and run it.

Who it suits

This diploma suits people who want to work directly with young children and are looking for a practical, job-focused qualification rather than a long university degree. It also works for people already working in the sector who need a formal qualification to move into a room leader or educator role. If you are an international student, you can study on a Student visa, work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. English requirements are set by the college and by the Department of Home Affairs for the visa itself. Check the official page and the CRICOS register for current fees, intakes and entry requirements.

• Early childhood educator in long day care, preschool or kindergarten services
• Room leader responsible for planning and running a specific age group
• Family day care educator running your own approved home-based service
• Outside school hours care assistant working with primary-aged children before and after school
• Nanny or in-home carer employed directly by families
• Education support worker in early intervention or inclusive settings

Most graduates work in the early childhood education and care sector, which employs people across Australia in private, community and government-run services. Some go on to study a bachelor degree and become early childhood teachers, which is a separate registration pathway.